Diversity Addressing the hidden


challenges of disability and neurodiversity head-on


Anna-Marie Constantinou, Cisco business unit director, Europe at TD Synnex and chair of the company’s UK&I Limitless business resource group for co-workers with disabilities and neurodiversity, explains why its launch has been a revelation.


W


hen we launched our Limitless business resource group (BRG) for co-workers with disability and neurodiversity in March this


year, more than 300 people joined. Tat’s approaching a quarter of the total TD Synnex UK&I workforce. Tis remarkable turnout demonstrated the scale of the


challenge we faced in raising awareness of the many and diverse conditions that fall under the remit of Limitless. It also told us was that there is a huge need for people who have or are impacted in some way by hidden or visible conditions to be supported in the workplace.


Fully represented Our BRGs provide positive forums in which co-workers can share experiences with individuals who have similar interests. We have three other BRGs running in the UK&I – Elevate is dedicated to empowering women, SPECTRUM supports LGBTQ+ co-workers, and Embrace celebrates racial, cultural and religious differences. Limitless aims to ensure all co-workers with disabilities and


neurodiversity of all kinds feel welcome, comfortable and fully represented within TD Synnex. And if that initial reaction took us by surprise, it also galvanised us and made us even more determined to make a difference. While we are only four months in, we are making good progress


and more co-workers are coming forward and opening up about their conditions or experiences. What we’ve discovered very quickly indeed is that almost everyone


is or has been affected in some way by disability, whether its visible or, as it is in 80% of cases, hidden. If they do not have a condition themselves, they may have parents, siblings, a partner, or children who do. In addition, conditions are oſten multi-faceted. Tey are acquired


in different ways. Tey can be with you from birth or arrive through accident or age. Tey can be temporary, transient or permanent. While UK government figures suggest that around one in five people have a disability of some kind, levels of diagnosis are still low for conditions such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism, but definitely on the rise. Even then, every individual is different, and many people have multiple and over-lapping conditions.


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Need for change Understanding and adjusting for this in the workplace is really important. Another thing the launch of Limitless has shown is that a lot of people with disabilities or neurodiversity have not always felt completely comfortable all of the time in the workplace. Tat’s something we need to change. We can only do that by heightening awareness


and addressing the preconceptions that many people still have about how someone should or is able to behave under certain circumstances. Tankfully, TD Synnex is already very good at allowing people to be themselves. Inclusion is one of


our core values and we know that diverse teams are more creative and productive. We also practice servant leadership across the business, which really helps co-workers to feel that they are treated as individuals. All of this helps people to feel valued and accommodated. It


gives them the confidence to be exactly who they are. What we are doing with Limitless is very openly reaching out with that approach to all our co-workers with disabilities or neurodiversity.


Progress We have had several meetings and recorded some videos talking about the challenges people with or close to these conditions face. In response, we are now seeing many more co-workers come forward, some just thanking us for giving the subject focus and attention, many others opening up about their own conditions and struggles and wanting to connect and actively engage in the group. Hopefully, we can now make some real progress. On breaking


down biases, stereotypes and misconceptions, and raising awareness of significant conditions and the experiences that disabled and neurodiverse co-workers have in the workplace. And on how we can give them more support and help managers to better support their diverse teams. Te response we’ve had to Limitless has been a revelation. It’s


made us realise that while we have much further to travel, the rewards will be more than worthwhile.


September/October 2023 | 23


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